The present invention relates to a building control system and in particular to an integrated telephone, intercom, security and control system for a multi-unit building.
It is known to provide security systems for multi-unit buildings. For instance U.S. Pat. No. 4,644,104 to Middlemiss discloses a security system for a multi-unit facility such as a hotel wherein access to each unit or room is accomplished through a door structure which incorporates a separate locking assembly. The locking assembly is of the keyless entry type wherein a present code is fed into an electronically controlled lock through a plurality of switches for authorized entry. Each of the actuating facilities associated with each closure is capable of having a stored preset code changed through operation of a microprocessor. Telephone lines interconnect the activating and locking facilities associated with each room to a central control facility.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,134,644 to Garton et al. also discloses an alarm and security system. One embodiment of that system includes a communications panel having a first transceiver for receiving information about one or more desired conditions in one or more geographical areas and for receiving a control signal and for transmitting the desired condition information and control signal to a base station. The system accepts information from an existing panel via telephone lines and transfers a full data message to a base station.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,139 to Samburg discloses a security control and alarm system including a central station communicating with each of plural remote stations, or facilities, protected by the system. The remote stations may be multi-zone office buildings, shopping centers, or any of various specialized applications. The central station provides point-to-point monitoring of each protection sensor device at each remote station. Protection sensors of any desired type are encompassed by the system, including detectors for unauthorized entry, fire, smoke, mechanical equipment failure and the like. The central station also provides remote control of various security functions including selective arming and disarming of the remote station, resetting of the alarm condition following an alarm activation, operating doors to permit access to authorized personnel, operating elevators to restricted, selected floors of a building and any of various other types of desired control functions. The system also may provide general remote control of non-security building functions. Communication between the central and remote is provided by a multiplexer over standard voice grade telephone lines. Each person authorized to gain access to a remote, protected facility is provided a password. At the entrance of the facility, there is provided a telephone with a direct line connection to the central station. An individual wishing to gain access must call and give the correct password to an operator at the central station in response to which the operator issues a control to the remote facility for unlocking the entrance door.
Additionally, known systems provide intercommunication and alarm telephone systems for residential use. For instance, U.S. Pat. No. 4,097,690 to Kuntz et al. discloses an intercommunication and alarm telephone system having a common control in the form of a clock driven central unit connected to an alarm control unit and one telephone line shared by a plurality of station units. The central control unit provides means for answering and placing outside telephone calls to a central telephone office, holding and transferring such calls, giving paging and intercom services, giving suitable alarms, and such other services as may be necessary or desirable.
Finally, various control and communications systems are known for use in the residential environment. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,544 to Honda et al. discloses a home control system and interphone system including a pair or plural pairs of home information transmission paths (referred to as home bus); information outlets provided at the home bus which serve as connection nodes for appliances; and a plurality of room monitor controllers (hereinafter referred to as RMC) each having a built-in interface unit which has a control function element peculiar to respective rooms and carries out communication control between the information outlets and the appliances.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,899,217 discloses a communication and energy control system for houses. That patent describes an automated system for providing different services within a house. The system includes an appliance coordination data network for communicating relatively low speed appliance digital data within a house, a high capacity data network for transferring high speed digital data within the house, an energy distribution system for distributing energy throughout the house, an analog services distribution system for distributing conventional analog signals throughout the house and a video services distribution network for distributing video services throughout the house. The appliance coordination network interfaces with the energy distribution system to control the flow of energy to appliances throughout the house responsive to a digital request or interrogation signal that is emitted from the appliance itself.
However, none of the systems described above disclose an integrated telephone, intercom, security and control system that is particularly well suited for a multi-unit building. Accordingly, the present invention provides such a system and includes a number of advantages over the previous systems described above.